It’s my dream to go to the Maldives but we definitely can’t afford the $1k/night overwater bungalows. I’ve been reading about staying on the “local islands” like Maafushi in guesthouses. Is the water just as blue? Do you still get that paradise feeling or does it feel like you’re missing out by not being at a luxury resort?
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Luxury resorts often feel like a secluded honeymoon, paradise bubble, while ‘local islands’ will give you a more local community feel with daily life happening around you; and save you a lot of money.
Personally, I’d rather be where the locals are than sipping champagne with the newly-wed honeymooners.
You’ll see the same blue water with less luxury pampering, which is a great trade-off for budget travellers who want to visit this once-in-a-lifetime destination.
To save on expensive speedboat or seaplane transfers, pick islands within a short ferry ride from Malé. Staying within a small radius around the capital helps keep transport costs down.
Maafushi is about 30 minutes from Malé by speedboat, or an hour and a half by ferry.